Closure seal



Oct. 10, 1944. w. s. REYNOLDS 2,359,940

CLOSURE SEAL Filed July 29, 1942 la amora Z4 \AQ RREN jEEYNULDS.

7 ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 10, 1944 CLOSURE SEAL Warren S. Reynolds, Stratford, Conn, assignorto Remington Arms Company,

a corporation of Delaware Conn.,

Inc., Bridgeport,

Application July 29, 1942, Serial No. 452,687 4 Claims. (01. 292-307) The present invention relates to a closure seal, and while the invention may be advantageously employed in many uses, as will be obvious from the disclosure, it is particularly applicable as a safety seal for gunpowder containers wherein it is highly important that the powder be protected against removal or tampering with by unauthorized persons, the invention having for an object to provide a safety seal for retaining a paper closure cap upon the container in such manner that it is impossible to remove or tamper with the closure cap without detection.

It is customary to transport powder from the storage place toits place of use in aluminum or other suitable containers. Previously a piece of paper was placed over the open mouth of the container and held in place by rubber bands, the paper cover usually being punctured to release the powder and being removed after the container is emptied. It is proposed in the present invention to provide a sealing device in the form of a band of spring wire adapted to be engaged around the exterior of the mouth of the container over the edge of the folded down paper cover and beneath the projecting lip provided at the edge of the container mouth, this wire band being provided at each end with permanently attached connecting members adapted to be interlockingly connected together, and having seal receiving means by means of which lead or other suitable soft material is adapted to be squeezed into sealing relation so that disconnection and removal of the wire is impossible without first breaking the lead seal.

A further object is to provide a sealing device adapted to be tightly engaged about the edge of the paper cover in such manner that any attempt to dislodge the cover without breaking the seal can be detected through tearing of the paper in the event that it is moved relatively to the sealing device,

Another object is to provide a sealing device which can be engaged conveniently and quickly, and which will be self-retained in connected relation prior to inserting and squeezing the lead seal into place, thus greatly facilitating the sealing operation. A further object is to provide a sealing device which will require the use of a tool to break the seal, so that it cannot become unsealed unintentionally through handling of the container.

Another object is to provide a sealing device of durable permanent nature which can be repeatedly used, and in which the cooperating parts of the device, including the wire and the connecting members carried by the wire ends, are not subject to mutilation or breakage through the sealing and unsealing operation, the mutilation and distortion being confined to the lead insert.

With the above and other objects in view. embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, and these embodiments will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a powder container, showing the paper cover and sealing device in place, the paper cover being partially broken away, the neck of the container being shown partially in horizontal section below the upper projecting llp, and the dot-and-dash lines showing the disengaged position to which the sealing device moves upon breaking of the seal.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the upper mouth end of the container with the paper cover and sealing device in place, a portion of the container and cover being shown in vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation.

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the two connecting members of the wire band in separated relation.

Fig. 5 is a vertical the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view partially in front elevation and partially in vertial section, showing the connecting members engaged and showing the lead ball inserted prior to being squeezed into sealing relation.

sectional view, taken along Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the lead ball I squeezed into sealing relation. I Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a view, partially in front elevation and partially in vertical section, showing the manner in which the seal is broken by turning action of a suitable tool, such as a screw-driver.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of a modi fied form oi the invention.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view, partially in front elevation and partially in vertical section, showing a modification of the invention in which the cooperative sealing parts for receiving the lead ball are of modified form, this view showing the ball in place prior to being squeezed into sealing relation.

Fig. 12 is a similar view showing the lead ball squeezed into sealing relation.

Similar reference characters indicate correspending parts throughout the several parts of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, the powder container l0, shown by way of example, is provided at the upper end of its cylindrical body portion with a conical shoulder II and a reduced diameter cylindrical neck I2, provided at its upper edge with an outwardly and downwardly rolled lip I3, which forms a retaining shoulder for the paper cover I4 which is engaged over the mouth of the container with its edge folded down around the neck portion I2 where it is constricted beneath the lip I3 by means of the sealing device according to the invention.

The sealing device comprises a wire band member I5, preferably formed of spring wire such as spring brass, having a set curve at its intermediate portion, and having straight end portions which in the engaged position of the wire with the container cover extend tangentially outwardly from the neck I2, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. Upon the ends of the wire I2 there are rigidly secured connecting block members I6 and I1, connected to the wire ends in angular relation, so that the longitudinal engaging and disengaging axis of the two block members is at a right angle to the diametric line of the container extending between the block members.

In order to rigidly connect the wire ends to the blocks, each of the blocks is provided with a diagonal drilled hole I8 extending laterally inwardly from the outer end wall to a vertical drilled hole I9 extending between the upper and lower walls, the wire end being engaged through the diagonal hole and its end within the vertical hole I9 being then bent at an angle within the hole I9, as at 20, and being thereupon rigidly connected by filling the hole IS with solder 2 I, preferably a hard solder such as silver solder.

The blocks I6 and I I are preferably of substantially cube shape, and the block I6 is provided at its inner face with a projecting pin 22, rigidly secured in a drilled hole 23, preferably by hard solder, such as silver solder, and disposed in perpendicular relation to the inner face of the block member. In the upper surface of the pin 22 adjacent its outer end there is provided a notched out rectangular recess 24. The block I I is provided in its inner face with a drilled socket hole 25, having its axis perpendicular to the inner face, and adapted to receive the recessed end of the pin 22, the depth of the socket being such as to limit the insertion of the p to a point where the two block members are spaced apart in the connected sealed relation of the device for a distance sufficient to receive a seal-breaking tool, as will hereinafter more fully appear. A vertical seal-receiving hole 28 is provided in the block II extending downwardly from its upper surface to the socket hole 25, of slightly smaller diameter than the socket hole. In the engaged position of the pin 22 in the socket hole the hole 26 is in register with the recess 24.

The two block members are connected by engaging the pin 22 in the socket hole 25, and when so engaged the expanding forces on the ends of the spring wire band, which are along lines transverse to the longitudinal axis of the pin and socket, tend to swing the block I6 in clockwise direction and the block I! in counter-clockwise direction, and consequently, sumcient frictional resistance is set up to retain the pin in engagement with the socket. When so engaged, the connection is sealed by inserting a suit ble deformable sealing element 21, preferably a lead ball, in the hole 28, and thereupon squeezing this lead ball, as shown in Fig. 6, with a suitable plier tool consisting of a supporting jaw 28 and a squeezing Jaw 29, the latter being in the form of a pin adapted to fit slidably in the hole 24. The squeezed ball is thus forced tightly in the lower end of the hole 28 and into the recess 24 of the pin 22, where it flows outwardly against the wall of the socket, 25 forming projecting retaining portions at the corners of the recess where the latter extends beyond the hole 28, as shown .clearly in Figs. 1 and 8. As the squeezed ball is well below the surface of the block it cannot be readily tampered with.

It will be observed that in the sealed relation of the device the inner opposed corner edges of the two connecting block members I6 and II are in tight engagement with the folded down portion of the paper cover I4 immediately below the projecting lip ll of the container,-and that the wire band I5 tightly constricts the folded down cover in surrounding relation to the container neck I2. These inner corner edges are relatively sharp at their upper and lower ends, and consequently any attempt to dislodge the paper cover by forcing it from beneath the block members, or by forcing the sealing device downwardly, will result in tearing the paper cover, so that any such attempt to remove the cover will be readily detected.

In order to break the seal, a suitable tool, such as a screw-driver 30, is inserted in the space between the inner opposed faces of the connecting block members and forcibly turned, whereupon the sharp edged end wall of the recess 24 of the pin 22 cuts across the lead seal, as shown clearly in Fig. 9, and the outward spring force of the wire band thereupon causing the block members to move to the open position, as shown by the dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 1. The pieces of the seal remaining in the recess 24 and in the hole 28 are readily removed, the latter being conveniently forced downwardly into the socket 25 to roll freely therefrom.

erably at right angles to the tangential ends of the wire I5 and the pin 22 and socket 25 of the respective connecting members are arranged along an axis substantially at right angles to the diametric line of the container passing centrally through the pin-carrying block member I6", and at an obtuse angle to the diametric line of the container passing through the space between the two block members. In this form of the invention, the device is engaged about the container neck by first holding the pin-carrying block member IS- in place and moving the socket block member I'I into relation therewith, the angular relation of the socket 25 facilitating the engaging and disengaging action, causing the block member I'l to move toward the container as it is engaged and away from the container as it is disengaged.

In Figs. 11 and 12 I have illustrated a modification of the invention especially in connection with the sealing element receiving means. The

pin 22 of the connecting block member 96 is .provided with a vertically drilled hole 3!! near its end and the connecting block member ii is provided in its upper side with a vertically disposed funnel-shaped hole 32 extending at its lower contracted end to the socket hole 25 and adapted to register with the hole 3i of the inserted pin 22. In the lower side there is provided a cylindrical hole 33 also adapted to register with the hole 3| of the inserted pin.

The hole 3i is slightly smaller than the diameter of the lead ball 21 so that when the latter is first placed in the funnel-shaped hole 32 it seats within the upper end of the hole 3!, as shown clearly in Fig. 11. The squeezing plier may have its lower jaw 34 provided with a pin 35 adapted to engage within the hole 33 of the block member I! and partially within the hole 3! of the pin 22 to hold the two connecting block members in position to align the ball-receiving holes. The upper jaw 36 is of cylindrical form and of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the lower contracted end of the hole 32. In operation the squeezing jaw 36 forces the ball 21 downwardly into the hole 3| and flattens its upper side within the lower portion of the funnelshaeped hole 32 well below the upper surface of the block member, as shown clearly in Fig. 12, the squeezing action upon the ball being limited by abutment oi the plier jaw with the conical surface of the hole 32.

While the modified form of sealing ball-receiving means shown in Figs. 11 and 12 is illustrated in connection with the form of connecting block members shown in Figs. 1 to 9, obviously it may also be employed in connection with the modified form of connecting block members shown in Fig. 10. While the sealing element is convene iently in the form oi. a lead ball it will be understood that it may be of any other suitable material or shape.

The form of the invention illustrated in the drawing and described herein is typical and illustrative only, and it is evident that the invention is capable of embodiments in other forms, all falling within the scope of the appended claims, which are to be broadly construed.

What is claimed is:

1. A closure seal device comprising a loop forming band member, connectable members secured to the ends or said band member respec-' tively provided with pin and socket means engageable and disengageable through relative movement of said'connectable member having a sealing material receiving hole extending transversely to its socket, and said 1pin means being provided with a sealing material receiving recess in one side of greater transverse width than said sealing material receiving hole adapted to register therewith in the connected position of said connectable members and disposed transversely oi the direction of engaging and. disengaging movement, whereby sealing material engaged in said receiving hole and recess retains the connectable members together and is breakable through relative forcible disengaging movement of said connectable members.

2. A closure seal device comprising a loop forming band member, connectable members se cured to the ends of said band member respectively provided with pin and socket means engageable and disengageable through relative movement of said connectable members toward and away from each other, said socket containing member having a sealing material receiving hole extending transversely to its socket, and said pin means being provided with a sealing material receiving opening adapted to-register with said sealing material receiving hole in its connected position of said connectable members and disposed transversely of the direction of engaging and disengaging movement, said opening having an outer end wall forming a sharp cutting corner edge with the pin surface, whereby sealing material engaged in said receiving means retains the connectable members together and is breakable through relative forcible disengaging movement of said connectable members and cutting action of said cutting edge.

3. A closure seal device comprising a loop forming band member, connectable members secured to the ends of said band member respectively provided with pin and socket means engageable and disengageable through relative movement of said connectable members toward and away from each other, said socket containing member having a sealing ball receiving fun- -nelled hole extending transversely to its socket,

and said pin means being provided with a-sealing material receiving portion adapted to register with said sealing ball receiving hole in the connected position of said connectable members and disposed transversely of the direction of engaging and disengaging movement. whereby the sealing ball engaged in said ball receiving hole is squeezable partially into said sealing material receiving portion and partially in the base of said funnelled hole to retain the connectable members together and is breakable through relative" forcible disengaging movement of saidconnectable members.

4. A closure seal devicecomprising a loop forming band member, connectable members secured to the ends of said band member respectively provided with pin and. socket means engageable and disengageable through relative movement or said connectable members toward and away from each other, said'socket containing member having a sealing material receiving hole in one side extending transversely to its socket and a position-registering hole in its opposed side extending to its socket and axially aligned with said material receiving hole, and said pin means being provided with a sealing material receiving hole adapted to register with said axially aligned holes or said socket containing member in the connected position of said connectable members and disposed transversely of the direction of engaging and disengaging movement, whereby sealing material engaged in said sealing material receiving holes retains the connectable members together and is breakable through relative forcible disengaging movement 01 said connectable members.

WARREN S. REYNOLDS. 

